In general, transparent substrates such as glass substrates used for image display members of CRT display apparatuses, plastic substrates for used as material for “clean room” floors and walls, and the like require treatment for static electricity prevention in order to prevent static electricity blockade. In particular, a conductive thin film to be treated for static electricity prevention is formed onto the surfaces of optical parts such as image display members of CRT display apparatuses, liquid crystal image display members, covering materials for instruments and the like. In order to impart the aforementioned static electricity preventing function without losing the color tone of these optical parts, the aforementioned conductive thin film must comprise a high transparency having a total light permeability of at least 80% and a haze value of no greater than 5%, and a conductivity having a surface resistivity of no greater than 9×1011 Ω/□.
As a treatment method for static electricity prevention, a method is known in which a transparent thin film having conductive properties is formed onto the surface of a transparent substrate such as glass or the like. As the material for forming this type of transparent conductive thin film, a paint for forming a transparent conductive thin film is used which comprises an antimony-doped tin oxide powder having a primary granular diameter of 1˜100 nm, a binder, and a solvent.
According to this conventional method, it is possible to form a thin film having conductive properties stably. However, according to this conventional method, it is extremely difficult to form a thin film having a superior transparency with a total light permeability of at least 80% and a haze value of no greater than 5%. In particular, a transparent conductive thin film formed in accordance with the conventional method does not comprise a sufficient transparency, as a conductive thin film for preventing static electricity, when formed onto the surface of the aforementioned optical parts.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a paint which is effective in forming a transparent conductive thin film onto the surface of a transparent material, said transparent conductive thin film possessing a superior transparency and, moreover, a conductivity equal to or greater than that of the conventional transparent conductive thin film, despite the addition of only a small amount of the conductive component; and a transparent conductive thin film formed by means of using the aforementioned paint.